The view from SXSW 2024: a festival mired in confusion and controversy

NME

Well, how did we get here? It’s a question that loomed large over SXSW 2024 – where, this year, world-class music programming was overshadowed by decisions related to the festival’s sponsorship. After it was reported earlier this month that the US Army was a “super sponsor” of the week-long event, as well as a number of major defence contractors, many artists called off their sets in protest of the military’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

• READ MORE: Irish bands tell SXSW: “Sponsorship from defence contractors is an act we find reprehensible”

Dozens of acts, including Kneecap, Lambrini Girls, and Rachel Chinouriri, opted to pull out of the festival at the last minute, while others made statements in solidarity with Palestine or donated their artist fees to relief funds. For those in attendance, an atmosphere of disdain and disappointment towards SXSW was palpable: regardless of the artists’ varying responses to the boycott – the majority of whom were faced with great personal costs, whatever they chose to do – the direct link between companies manufacturing weaponry and a music festival felt majorly, direfully concerning for all those involved.

In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), organisers said they respected artists’ right to free speech, while also explaining their decision to work with the US Army: “The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today,” the post read. “These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives.”

There has been immense fervour shown towards SXSW in recent years, as post-pandemic, attendance numbers have surpassed 300,000 across its music, film, tech and education sections. Going forward, this goodwill and enthusiasm from both musicians and fans will surely – and righteously – be tested should the military partnership continue. Simply put, without the artists, there’s no festival to be had.

Yet, arguably, there is power to be found in how this past week has felt like a key moment for emerging artists to come together and collectively use their power for good. Dotted around downtown Austin’s many basement venues, there were displays of activism and quiet ambition to be found if you looked beyond the big, corporate, branded events; a small glimmer of hope amongst all the noise.

Independent artists speak across the gulf

Contractual difficulties left a whole host of unsigned acts in an impossible situation this year, with many having “moved heaven and earth” to earn funding to get to Austin, as Minas put it during his set at the late-night Focus Wales event. Clenching a silver chain between his teeth, the Welsh-Greek rapper put on a freewheeling show – from spilling over cans of White Claw to offering a rowdy rendition of ‘Yma O Hyd’ – yet prowled the stage with the confidence of a performer in complete control.

Vancouver songwriter Kaleah Lee, meanwhile, urged audience members to contact their local representatives to push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Performing at the historical St. David’s Episcopal Church, the 23-year-old aired tracks from her forthcoming ‘Birdwatcher’ EP, anchored by her soaring voice and effortless cool. A cover of Beyonce’s ‘Daddy Lessons’ made for a delightful, unexpected moment – fulfilling a collective need to briefly forget about what was going on outside the venue’s stained glass windows.

Irish acts band together in the face of adversity

Last Thursday (March 14), members from five Irish bands – Cardinals, Chalk, Enola Gay, Gurriers and NewDad – made a joint statement explaining their decision to drop out of the festival. Gathering at the Velveeta Room, Gurriers drummer Pierce Callaghan led proceedings, elaborating on why he and his fellow musicians hope the boycott will result in SXSW totally divesting from the military and defence industries in the future.

“It is inherently wrong to taint the celebration of art with links to the genocide going on in Palestine. This situation is so much bigger than us as bands, it is so much bigger than music, art, politics,” he said. It was a powerful moment, seeing groups of music fans stand together in the name of Palestinian liberation, the air fizzing with defiance. Read the full report here.

Tonight, the Irish acts who have boycotted performing at SXSW including @Newdad, @chalk_band, @gurriersband, Enola Gay & Cardinals stood together in solidarity and released a joint statement at the Ireland House Showcase at SXSW Festival pic.twitter.com/3m6Sl1HD48

— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) March 15, 2024

Fat Dog versus Austin: the ultimate showdown

12 shows, three days, countless moshpits: Fat Dog’s whirlwind trip to Austin was defined by the band’s tenacity. The south London band left a genuine success story, wrapping up a dozen offshoot showcases with one final midnight blowout at the Swan Dive. They turbo-boosted their presence in the US via a blitz of exuberant rhythm patterns, charmingly bonkers kung-fu moves, and music that hurtled from jazz to punk to electronica in milliseconds. Phew.

Crucially, the audience reaction to their sparky stage antics highlighted what SXSW has, historically, offered new acts: a platform to seize the moment in front of festival-goers and industry heads, thousands of miles from home.

The big, (nearly) brilliant, messy return of Hinds

Following an extended hiatus, Hinds seemed just as determined to prove themselves, too. Racking up 14 sets in four days, the slacker indie duo – comprising guitarists Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote, with bassist Ade Martín and drummer Amber Grimbergen having left the group last year – threw everything they had at SXSW, as if they were performing for the very first time.

Presumably not yet re-accustomed to the rigours of touring, they suffered from some teething problems related to timing and sound levels. They are, it seems, still in the process of adjusting to their new set-up. But it was hard to deny the raw candour and breeziness of new single ‘Coffee’, or the excitement Cosials and Perrote radiated about their future as a band.

Unofficial showcases highlight the power of community

It’s long been known that the slew of unofficial gigs that take place in Austin each year – which are not funded by SXSW – can be just as fun and inspiring as the festival itself. They can become a way to generate conversation about the state of the wider event: hardcore record label Flatspot [Scowl, Speed], for example, removed their showcase from the lineup in solidarity with the protestors and put on their own free show out of town.

Gripes about SXSW’s small artist fees have also grown as of late, coming to a head with this year’s boycott. For a slew of underground acts, the solution was to host their own events and encourage attendees to Venmo funds directly to the bands themselves: NYC shoegazers Smut opened a stage at The Ballroom on Thursday afternoon, employing swirling melodies and howling vocals to create something furious, fizzing and totally exciting. By sticking it to the man, no doubt they inspired others to do the same.

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